San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-02-21
WHO us TO BLAME.

The revelation OF outrAges IN WASH
ington county as made before the SEN
ate's investigating committee is not
very palatable to those who have been
the apologists OF the Injustice and muir
derous outrages there committed. The
BRENNAN Banner, which refused to give
publicity to the resolutions Of citizens In
public meeting condemning the out
RACES. is particularly loud mouth over
the investigation. There is no longer
any reason to doubt that republication
and republican voting and republican
candidacy for Office was made crime
In Washington county last fall. That
the crime was punished with violence.
intimidation and warnings to leave the
country under pain Of death, is also
abundantly proven, That on account
Of their knowledge Of these things sew
ersl persons, (negrOes,) were murdered,
Is also quite clear. Texas cannot afford
to seem to sanction such
proceedings. and her only relief from q
just charge Of elimination therein will
be In a prompt announcement OF such
outrages on the ground that she did not
believe until the facts were ELECTED be-
fore the committee at Washington, that
any such Outrages had occurred.
The responsibility for this thing rests
largely upon the Brennan Banner and
those journals, oognizant OF the facts,
which refused to make them public;
and also, upon the chief executive Of
the state who refused to order an inves-
tigation into the matter when solicited.
The good name of Texas has been COM
promised in this matter, and 1t will not
be relieved Of the..odium attaching there
to by such utterances as are found In
late .is.u- Of the BRENNAN Banner, in
which IL charges "first-olass lying" that
witnesses mot only perjured himself,
but lied like forty,"etc The testimony
is too direct, general, cOnclu-
sive, and carries on its face too
many evidences Of Its tru hfulness TO be
whistled down the wind by a denunoia-
ton from the very columns which re-
fused to publish a remonstrance against
the outrages and condemnation OF them.
The first duty of public journalist is
to tell the truth concerning matters that
occur; to give facts to the people, palat-
able or unpalatable, concerning public
occurrences. The journalist that suppr, g.
scs facts, or refuses to publish them be-
cause such facts will damage the party
to which he belongs, has forfeited his
right to speak as censor Of the public
morals or to be accepted rs revelatOr
Of public events. This Washington in
vestigstion hurts Texas, and the Bren-
ham Banner is more to blame for the in
jury thus done the state than any other
one agency. Had the BRENNAN Banner
reported the faots--giyon publicity 10 the
acts of citizens cOndemning the
outrages, as requested-there Is
every reason to believe that
the state executive would have
ordered an investigation. This
would have saved Texas the humilia-
tlon Of having her named dragged be-
fore the world as the one state In which
political liberty was no longer enjoyed
in America, the one state 10 which there
was no freedom of the press through
which to voice the injuries done to
free ballot, and the murders committed
to cover up that injustice. Texas is not
to blame as a state, but one member
suffering, all the body suffers with it.
The press of the state is not to blame,
but one journal having proved recreant
to duty all others suffer for Its deeds.
Tue remark nf a HnustOn nanpr that